The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) has recruited a record 1,388 staff and introduced 52 additional ambulances in the past three years as part of its Demand and Capacity Programme.
Launched in 2019, the Demand and Capacity programme is the largest and most complex programme ever undertaken at the Scottish Ambulance Service, with multi-million-pound investment from the Scottish Government enabling hundreds of new A&E staff – Paramedics, Technicians, Ambulance Care Assistants and Advanced Practitioners – to be recruited.
464 frontline A&E staff have been recruited this financial year, in addition to recruitment of 924 over the previous two years.
Of the 464 this past year, 368 are Trainee Technicians, 33 are Qualified Paramedics, 47 Newly Qualified Paramedics, 6 Advanced Practitioners and 10 Qualified Technicians. 153 were recruited for the East Region, 105 for the North Region and 206 for the West Region.
Over the last three years, the estates element of programme has also enabled the opening of ten new stations, including nine co-locations with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service at Ardrossan, Dreghorn, Clarkston, Penicuik, McDonald Road in Edinburgh, Crewe Toll, Sighthill, Bathgate and Aberdeen Central.
Scottish Ambulance Service Chief Executive Pauline Howie said: “The aim of the Demand and Capacity Programme is to ensure we are working as effectively as possible by having the right resources in place to deliver the most appropriate care for the people of Scotland.
“The increase in staffing and resources, coupled with alignment of shift patterns to patient demand profiles, aims to improve patient safety and staff welfare and has involved a considerable amount of work behind the scenes.
“With demand for our services increasing across the country and additional pressures that have been brought about by the pandemic, this investment has been vital in protecting our response to patients and supporting our existing staff.
Health Secretary Michael Matheson said: “Our increased investment to support the Scottish Ambulance Service through their Demand and Capacity review is helping to ensure the right resources are in place across the country to deliver a high-quality emergency service to the people of Scotland.
“These additional resources will help support existing staff, who have shown remarkable resilience in the face of sustained pressure over the last three years, and I thank them for their continued dedication and hard work.”
The Scottish Ambulance Service, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Police Scotland held a training exercise in the Borders recently for students and new recruits to practice responding to a road traffic collision (RTC).
The Scottish Ambulance Service, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Police Scotland held a training exercise in the Borders recently for students and new recruits to practice responding to a road traffic collision (RTC).
The exercise was held at Galashiels Fire Station on the 7th March and Hawick Fire Station on Tuesday the 14th March , with the aim of teaching participants from each emergency service how to deal with a collision.
The mock exercise – held on the two nights with different groups of attendees – involved a two vehicle, high-speed, head-on collision, and saw different levels of responses.
Paramedic Lee Myers, SAS’s lead for the exercise, said: “This training has been designed around student and new recruit development, as we continue to welcome new staff into the Service.
“The exercise involved dealing with a serious RTC, with Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service attending alongside the Scottish Ambulance Service.
“The participants from all the services did a fantastic job dealing with the incident which included casualties with potentially serious injuries. We also had approximately 20 Queen Margaret University student paramedics attend on the night and crews dealing with a traumatic cardiac arrest, a roof off extrication, patients being fully immobilised, and much, much more.
“The three services share an excellent working relationship and this has been a great opportunity to work on improving communication and joint agency working. I would like to say a huge thank you to all involved for making this training exercise such a success.”
Area Commander Hilary Sangster is the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s Local Senior Officer for Midlothian, East Lothian and Scottish Borders.
She said: “Exercises such as this are important and hugely worthwhile for our firefighters to train to protect our communities alongside emergency service colleagues in a unique and dynamic environment – and also follow several months of planning.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved and especially Station Commanders Grant Fraser and Roy Bradley, and our partners for their continued commitment to this multi-agency training.”
LAST Saturday (25 March), 25 different organisations and hundreds of staff arrived bright & early at the Scottish Government Building, Victoria Quay, for our Emergency Services Open Day.
The day’s focus was to bring the community together with our emergency & other public services, as well as local charities and partner agencies, to acknowledge the vital role that we all play in community cohesion.
Some partners started early with Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team & Border Search and Rescue Unit travelling from the Scottish Borders. The Ministry of Defence Police came from HM Naval Base Clyde.
We had a #CHASHospice Stormtrooper & Spiderman entertaining us throughout the day. Lothian Buses brought a bus popular with big and little kids alike! Close contenders for the most popular attraction were the fire engines provided by the fire service & International Fire & Rescue Association.
Local charities on site included St Columba’s Hospice Care, Macmillan Cancer Support, St Andrew’s First Aid, British Red Cross, Scottish Charity Air Ambulance & Blood Bikes Scotland. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency had an impressive display of rescue kit.
Specialist police units included Police Scotland’s Operational Support Unit, Armed Policing, Police Partnerships, Wildlife Crime & British Transport Police – Scotland. The Civil Nuclear Constabulary came from Torness Power Station.
Local units from The Army in Scotland & 603 (City of Edinburgh) RAF Squadron supported our event. They provided everything from an ambulance through to a large army lorry.
Rapid Relief Team UK served an incredible 2000 free delicious meals and hot drinks during the event to both event staff and visitors.
In total, we welcomed close to 4000 people through the gates of our event.
A big thank you to our sponsors who helped make this event happen: The Scottish Government, Places for People Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Scottish Ambulance Service & The City of Edinburgh Council
Officers were called around 8.35am yesterday morning (Wednesday, 22 March, 2023) following a report of a ship becoming dislodged from its dry dock in Leith Docks.
Emergency services attended at the location at Imperial Dock and a multi-agency response was co-ordinated by Police Scotland.
The Scottish Ambulance Service took 15 people to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, four to the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh and two to the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, Fife. By around 1.20pm, all casualties were confirmed as being removed from the area and everyone accounted for.
Eight people remain in hospital this morning.
Superintendent Mark Rennie said: “I would like to thank partner agencies involved in the response to this incident which involved a complex operation to make sure everyone was safe.
“There is no risk to the wider public and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of what has happened. The Health and Safety Executive has been informed.
“I would also like to thank the public for their patience while the emergency services undertook a very difficult job aiding casualties. We continue to ask people to avoid the area.”
All active crews at the Scottish Ambulance Service have now been trained to supply life-saving Take Home Naloxone (THN) kits.
Following the completion of the two year naloxone training programme, launched in 2021, 2333 Take Home Naloxone kits (THN) have been distributed by crews.
These Naloxone kits, which reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, have been distributed by ambulance clinicians to people at risk of a non-fatal overdose or potential future overdose. They have also been provided to family, friends and service workers who may have to administer naloxone in the future, while waiting for an ambulance to arrive.
The successful roll-out of the training programme to distribute the kits has been led by three Clinical Effectiveness Leads for Drug Harm Reduction, covering the North, East and West regions. They have been funded by the Drug Deaths Taskforce, an extension of the Scottish Government’s existing Naloxone Programme.
Over the last two years, SAS has increased its partnership working with health boards and drug treatment and support services, as engagement with these services is a proven protective factor in reducing drug deaths. By creating alternative pathways, patients will receive a referral to follow up after their emergency presentation, to ensure they receive further appropriate care.
A booklet for call handers in SAS’s Ambulance Control Centres has also been developed, which provides an index for common drug terms. This booklet, created in partnership with Public Health Scotland – RADAR, can help call handlers better identify the needs of the patient when taking 999 calls.
Pauline Howie, Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “We’re proud to have reached our target of training up our operational staff in being able to supply Take-Home Naloxone.
“Our crews offer a frontline service where they reach into vulnerable communities across Scotland, and this targeted distribution will ensure Naloxone will get into the hands of those who need it most.
“Over the last two years, our three Clinical Effectiveness Leads for Drug Harm Reduction have made huge strides to effect positive change within patient care, and access to treatment for those affected by their use of drugs. This is helping to meet our aims of positively improving health and wellbeing across Scotland.”
Drugs Policy Minister Angela Constance said: “Scotland was the first country in the world to introduce a national Naloxone programme and increasing its provision and availability has been a key priority in our national mission to help save lives.
“We know that having naloxone available can and does save lives and maximising its availability is a key part of our work to reduce drug related deaths in Scotland.
“The extent of the use of naloxone to prevent deaths illustrates the size of the challenge but also the ambition of the response, including from crucial partners like the Scottish Ambulance Service.
“We’re focused on supporting those affected by problem substance use, delivering real change on the ground and implementing evidence-based approaches we know can help save lives. We will continue to prioritise the distribution of naloxone and to work with partners, such as the SAS, to ensure that this important work continues and that we can continue to provide support to people at a time of crisis.”
A new system that will give the Government and emergency services the capability to send an alert directly to mobiles phones when there is a risk to life has been launched today.
UK-wide Emergency Alerts service launched and in operation from today
System will bolster the UK’s resilience and provides the capability to send alerts direct to mobile phones when there is a risk to life
UK-wide test to take place on Sunday 23 April
Working with mobile broadcasting technology, the Emergency Alerts system will transform the UK’s warning and informing capability; providing a means to get urgent messages quickly to nearly 90 percent of mobile phones in a defined area; providing clear instructions about how best to respond.
The system is now ready to be tested across the country following successful tests in East Suffolk and Reading, as the Government continues to strengthen its resilience capability, making sure it offers the best possible protection against an ever-evolving range of threats.
A UK-wide alerts test will take place in the early evening of Sunday 23 April which will see people receive a test message on their mobile phones.
The alerts will only ever come from the Government or emergency services, and they will issue a warning, always include the details of the area impacted, and provide instructions about how best to respond – linking to gov.uk/alerts where people can receive further information.
Emergency Alerts will be used very rarely – only being sent where there is an immediate risk to people’s lives – so people may not receive an alert for months, or even years.
The service has already been used successfully in a number of other countries, including the US, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan, where it has been widely credited with saving lives, for example, during severe weather events. In the UK, alerts could be used to tell residents of villages being encroached by wildfires, or of severe flooding.
Announcing the launch of the new alerts system, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden MP, said: “We are strengthening our national resilience with a new emergency alerts system, to deal with a wide range of threats – from flooding to wild fires.
“It will revolutionise our ability to warn and inform people who are in immediate danger, and help us keep people safe. As we’ve seen in the U.S. and elsewhere, the buzz of a phone can save a life.”
Emergency Alerts will be used across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and their initial use will focus on the most serious severe weather-related incidents, including severe flooding in England.
The Government has been working closely with a range of stakeholders and partners across the UK on developing the system, including colleagues from the emergency services, transport groups and the Environment Agency.
Scotland’s Justice Secretary and lead Minister for resilience Keith Brown said: “This new service builds on the arrangements we already have in place with responders and other key organisations in Scotland to keep people safe during emergencies and save lives.
“The system has already been used successfully overseas in other countries including New Zealand, the Netherlands, Japan and the USA where it has been credited with saving lives during severe weather events and earthquakes.
“During rare events where there is an imminent risk to life, alerts can be sent direct to people’s mobile phones with clear instructions explaining what action to take and how to seek help.”
Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, Mark Hardingham, said: “Together with every fire and rescue service in the country, I’m looking forward to having Emergency Alerts available to help us to do our jobs and to help communities in the event of emergencies.
“We’ve seen this type of system in action elsewhere across the world and we look forward to having the facility here in the UK – by working together with fire services and partners we want this system to help us to help you be as safe as you can if a crisis does hit.”
Executive Director for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management at the Environment Agency, Caroline Douglass, commented: “Being able to communicate warnings in a timely and accurate manner during incidents is really important to help people take action to protect themselves, their families, and their neighbours.
“This year is the 70th anniversary of the 1953 east coast surge, one of the worst flood events in our recent history which saw over 300 people perish in England – while our ability to warn and inform has come on leaps and bounds since then, Emergency Alerts is a fantastic addition to our toolbox that we can use in emergency situations.”
By broadcasting from cell towers in the vicinity of an emergency, the alerts are secure, free to receive, and one-way. They do not reveal anyone’s location or collect personal data.
Alerts can only be sent by authorised Governmental and Emergency Services users. Successful live tests of the service have already taken place in East Suffolk and Reading.
Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP for Lothian, Miles Briggs, has expressed “deep concern” over addresses that have been “red flagged” to ambulance staff across Scotland.
The concern comes amid reports that nearly 450 addresses have been identified as being “red flagged” for ambulance staff – whereby Scottish Ambulance Staff are not allowed to enter without the presence of police.
A Freedom of Information Request submitted by the Scottish Conservatives revealed the shocking statistics.
The highest number of red flagged addresses come with Glasgow and Edinburgh postcodes, with 107 and 83 addresses identified in these areas, respectively.
In the EH postcode area, the freedom of information request revealed that 83 warnings had been identified.
Mr. Briggs has highlighted concerns over the figures and has expressed doubt of how police and ambulance staff may link up, given that, under the SNP, police officer numbers in Scotland are at their lowest level for 15 years.
Mr. Briggs says that one attack on an emergency service worker in Lothian is one too many and more action must be taken to keep them safe.
Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP Miles Briggs said: “These figures are deeply concerning.
“This is a significant number of addresses that have been red-flagged in Lothian for our dedicated ambulance staff who are putting themselves at risk for others on a daily basis.
“One attack on any ambulance worker in Lothian is one too many.
“This is a direct result of the SNP slashing local budgets and gutting the police service across the country.
“With police officer numbers at their lowest number since 2008 across Scotland, I am also concerned that they may not be able to easily link up with ambulance crews when called upon at a particular address.
“It is clear from the number of addresses that have been red-flagged in Lothian that more needs to be done to keep our ambulance staff safe, which includes handing out hefty punishments to those found to have assaulted them while they are on duty.
“At the very least, frontline staff in Lothian should be reassured that they can go about their work without serious risk of injury from members of the public.”
‘We are currently in attendance at a commercial building fire on Rose Street in Edinburgh‘
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 11.29am on Monday, January 23 to reports of a building fire at Rose Street.
“Operations Control immediately mobilised two appliances to the scene and on arrival firefighters found a building well alight.
“A further eight appliances, including a high reach, were mobilised and crews remain on scene as they work to extinguish the fire. No casualties have been reported.”
South St David Street and a number of surrounding roads, have been closed to traffic and pedestrians following the building fire.
Please avoid the area if possible and follow directions regarding alternative routes.
PICTURES:Gillian Webster, Connal Hughes, Anthony Brown, Whacko TM.
UPDATE at 7pm
Ross Haggart is the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s Interim Chief Officer. He said: “The fire at the Jenners building in Edinburgh is a very serious and complex incident and regrettably I can confirm that five of our colleagues were taken to hospital for treatment. Four have now been discharged however one remains in a critical condition.
“The families of all those affected have been made aware. We currently remain at the scene with a total of 11 appliances and other specialist resources in attendance.”
Over the last year, there have been over 308 physical and verbal assaults on the Scottish Ambulance Service’s staff by members of the public, new data from the Service has revealed.
Data from November 2021 to November 2022 shows that there has been 160 physical and 148 verbal attacks on our staff, including crews and those who work in our control rooms.
As the Service faces sustained pressure over the busy winter period, it’s urging the public to be respectful of staff when they call 999 or when crews arrive in their homes.
Pauline Howie, Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “The number of serious assaults our crews have experienced over the last year is extremely concerning. As we head towards Hogmanay, where there is a general increase in alcohol consumption, it’s more important than ever to raise awareness of this issue.
“Our staff have been working incredibly hard over the last couple of years, and they should be able to do their job safety, without fear of assault when treating patients, or when handling calls. Sadly, we’ve seen incidents occur in other parts of the NHS and against our police and fire colleagues too. We provide support to staff to report incidents to Police Scotland, so that they can take the matter further, but violence, whether physical or verbal, has a lasting effect.”
The Service has a range of measures in place to help protect staff, such as training in managing aggression and assessing risk. If crews have experienced violence in a particular area or at an address, then this will be flagged up and taken into consideration as to whether our crews need to attend with back-up from Police Scotland.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service received 1,025 calls during an eight-hour period this Bonfire Night with Operations Control staff mobilising crews to 356 bonfires.
The 5 November is typically one of the busiest nights of the year for firefighters.
Five attacks on crews have been recorded, however no injuries have been reported at this time.
Assistant Chief Officer David Farries is director of service delivery for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. He said: “It’s been another busy and challenging evening for our crews and Operations Control staff around Scotland and I thank them for their dedication.
“We are disappointed to report five attacks on our firefighters. In the run up to Bonfire Night, we had spoken out about this kind of unacceptable behaviour by a small minority which sadly happens year after year.
“Our staff should be able to carry out their role without being attacked and it is disappointing that people have tried to hurt firefighters and have damaged our appliances and equipment.
“Crews only attend bonfire related incidents when people contact us about concerns over public safety and we extinguish fires that are unsafe.
“We put a huge amount of planning and preparation into this evening with local partners and other emergency services as we work together to protect communities, which is always our top priority.”
Police Scotland’s Public Order trained officers supported local policing colleagues in what proved to be a challenging Bonfire Night for emergency services.
In total, 483 calls were received relating to fireworks offences night. This is a reduction on the 581 incidents recorded the previous year and reflects the positive downward trend in crimes that have occurred over the past five years. Nevertheless, there were still a number of significant crimes arising over the course of the evening.
Twelve people were arrested, and a further 15 were dispersed from Dispersal Zones. Further inquiry to identify more suspects will be taking place over the coming days and weeks.
The majority of serious incidents took place in Edinburgh, where members of the public, firefighters and police officers were all targeted by youths in possession of fireworks.
During a call-out to an illegal bonfire at Langside Street, Clydebank, however, members of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were attacked by twenty youths using fireworks. Police Public Order Officers attended and the group dispersed. One police vehicle sustained very minor damage and one male was arrested for assault and culpable and reckless conduct.
Just before 7pm, approximately 100 youths threw fireworks at members of the public and vehicles at Marischal Road in Niddrie. Public Order Officers attended to support local policing teams and were also targeted. A fire engine that was in attendance sustained a smashed window as a result of the disorder, though, thankfully, no one was injured.
While on patrol at around 7.35pm on Ferry Road Drive, Edinburgh, officers were attacked by a number of individuals throwing bricks at their vehicle. Public Order Officers were called to the scene to support and a Public Order vehicle was subsequently damaged when a brick was thrown at the windscreen.
Further incidents in the Drylaw area were reported between 9 and 10pm when the fire service were initially attacked with fireworks while attempting to extinguish a wheelie bin fire on Ferry Road Drive, and had to withdraw.
Once again, Public Order resources were deployed to support but were subjected to threats and fireworks being thrown by a number of youths, who were also armed with scaffolding poles and a baseball bat.
Further incidents were then reported in the area, after youths began throwing fireworks at members of the public and at Drylaw Police Station. No injuries were reported and no damage was sustained to the building.
Around 8.40pm, a police vehicle was attacked with bricks in the Niddrie area resulting in a window being smashed and an officer sustaining a minor cut to their lip.
Around the same time within Sighthill, Edinburgh, local officers were within their vehicle when it was targeted by youths with bricks who smashed the vehicle’s windows. This resulted in both officers being injured. They were taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. One sustained a head injury that required stitches, while the other needed treatment for glass in their eye.
An hour later, within the Duddingston area, a number of police vehicles had petrol bombs thrown at them by a number of youths. There were also incidents of roads being barricaded by the suspects, which required police to attend and deal with. There were no injuries reported during these incidents.
Around the same time in Glasgow, a male was outside the OVO Hydro, and threw a flare into a crowd of people. He was detained by security staff at the scene. Following police enquiries, two people were arrested in connection with this matter.
Assistant Chief Constable Tim Mairs, Gold Commander for Operation Moonbeam said: “Our initial analysis of the incidents arising on Bonfire Night show that, for the overwhelming majority of the country, people enjoyed the occasion safely and responsibly.
“However, in some areas, particularly Edinburgh, various individuals have shown blatant disregard for the safety of the public and the emergency services and have actively targeted police officers and firefighters during the course of their duties.
“This behaviour is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. I want to make it abundantly clear that considerable follow-up inquiry will be conducted in relation to all of these incidents, utilising all resources at our disposal to identify those responsible and bring them to justice. Do not think that just because you evaded police on the night, that we won’t be knocking on your door in the near future.
“I would ask anyone who has information relating to the offences observed last night to contact police via 101 so we can investigate appropriately.
“What the events of last night demonstrate to me is the importance of having a robust frontline policing service that can be readily supported by national and specialist colleagues when required. Similarly, working in partnership with other emergency colleagues and local authorities is equally important to ensuring we are deploying the correct level of resource to the right areas at the right time.
“All of those who were on duty during Bonfire Night showed exceptional professionalism and dedication to protecting communities from harm during extremely difficult and challenging circumstances. I am grateful for all of their efforts.”
